Coordination of the Multinational Arabidopsis thaliana Functional Genomics Project

随着2000年拟南芥基因组测序的完成，拟南芥研究人员建立了多国协调的拟南芥功能基因组学计划。该项目的目标是到2010年确定所有拟南芥基因的功能。该项目由MASC（多国拟南芥指导委员会）协调。MASC的成员是志愿科学家，代表活跃的拟南芥功能研究活动的各个国家。MASC负责协调世界各地的拟南芥功能基因组学研究活动，并确保高水平的国际合作。自2002年以来，已聘请一名全职协调员来协助MASC实现其目标和目的。该奖项为继续担任协调员职位两年提供支持。北美拟南芥指导委员会主席负责代表MASC对协调员进行监督和管理。协调员的具体职责包括：（1）担任多国拟南芥指导委员会的执行秘书（2）与TAIR（拟南芥信息资源）一起，维护，扩展和更新网站，向研究界通报各种大规模基因组活动（例如，全长cDNA计划、敲除突变体、转录组、蛋白质组、代谢组、系统生物学方法等），(3)帮助组织年度拟南芥研究会议，特别是增加来自传统上在年度会议上代表性不足和服务不足的群体的学生和年轻科学家的参与，（4）担任年度进展报告和MASC制作的其他文件的制作编辑，（5）参与TAIR开展的外展和教育活动，（6）作为MASC和研究团体之间的联系点。多国协调的拟南芥功能基因组学计划一直是国际研究合作的典范，其特点是开放共享信息、数据和研究材料。MASC在该项目的成功中发挥了关键作用。该奖项预计将有助于该项目的持续成功，最终衡量标准是该社区能否在2010年之前实现鉴定所有拟南芥基因功能的目标。

With the completion of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence in 2000,Arabidopsis researchers established the Multinational Coordinated Arabidopsis thaliana Functional Genomics Project. The goal of the Project is to identify the function of all Arabidopsis genes by the year 2010. The Project is coordinated by the MASC (the Multinational Arabidopsis Steering Committee). Members of the MASC are volunteer scientists representing various nations with active Arabidopsis functional research activities. The MASC is responsible for coordinating Arabidopsis functional genomics research activities taking place throughout the world and for ensuring a high level of international cooperation. Since 2002 a fulltime coordinator has been employed to assist the MASC accomplish its goals and objectives. This award provides support for continuing the coordinator position for two additional years. The Chair of the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee is responsible for providing oversight and supervision to the coordinator on behalf of the MASC. The specific duties of the coordinator include:(1) Serve as the executive secretary for the Multinational Arabidopsis SteeringCommittee (2) Together with TAIR (the Arabidopsis Information Resource), maintain,expand and update the web site to inform the research community about various large-scale genomic activities (e.g., full length cDNA projects, knockout mutants, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, systems biology approaches, etc.), (3) Help organize the annual Arabidopsis research conference, especially in increasing participation of students and young scientists from groups traditionally under-represented and under-served at the annual conference, (4) Serve as production editor for the annual progress report and other documents that the MASC produces, (5) Participate in the outreach and education activities conducted by TAIR, and (6) Act as a contact point between the MASC, and the research community.The Multinational Coordinated Arabidopsis Functional Genomics Project has been a model of international research collaboration, characterized by open sharing of information, data and research materials. The MASC has played a key role in the success of the Project. This award is expected to contribute to the continued success of the Project, which will be ultimately measured by the community reaching the goal of identifying the function of all Arabidopsis genes by the year 2010.